The Twelve Pillars
by Starpond
Summary: In a personal retelling of the original Smash Bros., an unlikely group of people have to band together to take on an unusual and mysterious threat. Through many awkward agreements, talks, and battles, they will have to look past each other's differences and become a family to combat a new common threat: Master Hand. Rating may/will change as the story progresses.
1. Darkness, then Light!

Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. It practically engulfed everything – or rather the _lack_ of objects in the void. A single soul existed within the primordial black ooze not because he wanted to, but because he had to. The injuries he had sustained just so others could harness and exploit his unworldly powers were deep and degrading. How could he, one with the ability to transcend and create dimensions, be beaten by such pests?

However, it still stood that he had fled in defeat, fled from capture and manipulation. He had come in to this world, no, this _multiverse_, seeking companionship. He had no idea how he had come to be, but now he knew he had been naïve to be so trusting of weaker and lower creatures than himself.

Corruption had scoured the lands he had built and even those that seemed to come before him. In an unnatural instinct he never knew he had, he had created semi-sentient creatures, made from all sorts of shapes and sizes, from triangles to squares to pentagons, even some you wouldn't be able to name.

They weren't enough. No, not nearly enough to stop the constant assaults. As the "fighting polygons", as he had dubbed them, fell like humans in a plague, he realized that perhaps his living and sentient constructs would need more care and thought to survive than his great land masses and dimensions. When the villains from various lands and worlds had descended upon him, he had been unprepared. _Too _unprepared.

The brutes had nearly overtaken him, but he had escaped to… here, wherever or whatever _here_ was. Perhaps a universe that had not seen its first light? Maybe. A failed and forgotten creation of his? There was a chance.

Shivering, he tried to close in on himself, but found difficulty with his wounds. Still, he succeeded. A small triumph. He began to wonder if he could truly outlast and hide from his persecutors when suddenly light disrupted the everlasting night. Had his time finally come?

Squinting to the best of his ability, he peered through the unjust crack in the stream of time and space.

Was that… a plump man in red? And it looked as if he was in deep, heated combat with a familiar looking reptile. Wait, that was the same turtle – or Koopa, as it referred to itself as – that had tried to take his gifts! Another rift opened up, the light shining through a bit greenish in tinge.

This intrusion revealed an elven warrior dressed in a green cloak and vanilla pants, a majestic sword in one hand and a regal shield in the other. Intensity etched across his face, he countered a blow from what appeared to be a giant, dual-wielding boar. The isolated being jumped, or rather levitated gently in shock as eight more portals opened, showing the protagonist or protagonists of one tale facing their greatest threat yet.

The combatants were all diverse, ranging from a boy in a striped shirt fighting what seemed to be a distorted human fetus with three of his companions, a red, orange, and yellow titan taking on a dragon twice its size, two small creatures, a yellow mouse and a pink balloon with large eyes, taking commands from another human, another pink marshmallow wielding a rod of light to vanquish an entity that seemed to encompass nightmares itself to a small fleet of ships led by a young anthropomorphic vulpine, accompanied by a hot-headed avian, a clueless amphibian, and a wise old hare.

The creature suddenly smiled to himself as his mind formulated a plan. It was time to fight back. He might be able to wander each of these diverse worlds free and without fear of persecution. He might even be able to wear his artificial name proudly now: Master Hand, the true puppeteer.


	2. A Plumber's Delight, Dream, and Dread

Light shined upon the kingdom, foreshadowing the inevitability of the coming day. In its wake, however, an almost malevolent, obsidian-colored cloud formation wrapped itself around the sun, blocking out its warmth and luminous charm. Soon enough, the clouds passed from beneath the ball of light, allowing its bright beauty to grace the earth once again.

Almost no one took notice of how the sun's light seemed to have dampened and lost some of its sheen even after the clouds had departed.

…

As light wavered through the window, a red pajama-clad plumber opened his eyes slowly, smacking his lips as he did so. Jumping down from the top bunk of the dual bed, he hurried into the bathroom to prepare for another day of work, allowing his brother to dwell in his own slumber for a few more minutes.

Bursting out of the lavatory, now garbed in a red shirt with blue overalls along with a red hat with a crimson M sewn into a white circle on said hat resting upon his brown hair, he glanced over at his still-sleeping sibling. He trotted over to the bottom bunk, rustling the green covers off of its inhabitant. Luigi, now semi-uncovered, gave off a loud snore before falling out of his bed with a yelp.

Standing up with a deep red blush creeping across his face, he bum rushed the washroom, settling into attire similar to that of his brother's, only with a green color scheme and a L stitched on to his hat. Sighing, the portly red plumber took in the room before leading the way outside, his taller, thinner brother clumsily following him.

It wasn't two steps before- "Is there a 'Super Mario around here?" a young-looking Parakoopa cried. The airborne tortoise had an aviator's cap and held a brown satchel, looking down at the envelope in his hands – correction, claws, before asking, "Or is it 'Mario Jumpman'? I can never get these names right…" the turtle sighed, disappointed.

"That would be me," the plumber in red said, approaching the flying turtle located a few yards in front of his and Luigi's house. Mario "Jumpman", otherwise known simply as "Mario", gently took the envelope from the reptile, giving a quick "thank you" as the Parakoopa took the sky in search of his next customer.

Hastily, Mario opened the seal on the envelope upon recognizing the royal crown symbol on it. The forty-something year old man smiled as he read the letter, a wind blowing through the grassy plain near their house.

"Dear Mario,

I wish to see you and Luigi at my castle today. My royal advisors and me are discussing plans on keeping Bowser at bay so you won't have to travel half way across the world to find me."

Sincerely,

Princess Toadstool

Mario smiled to himself. Even if Princess Toadstool, known commonly as "Peach", had just invited him to a formal meeting (along with Luigi), he was glad just to be able to see her, even if it was a bit unwarranted and out of place.

Motioning to his brother to read the note, Luigi rolled his eyes at Mario's excitement over the letter. It could be the official opening of a public work's project, a conference about stopping Bowser, as was the case, or just a quick hello, but Mario always seemed to get in a chipper mood if it involved Peach.

Mario quickly stuffed the letter into his black hole of a pocket, rushing off towards Castle Toadstool, a stupid grin on his face and Luigi in tow.

* * *

**Sorry if it's taking a while for the story to kick off. I just need to get into the gist of things, plus this is just my first story for Super Smash Bros. The pacing may be really bad and it may seem like it's taking awhile for the story to finally begin (for realsies). I already have about four more chapters hand written, and I'm in the revising and proof reading stages right now. **

**Anyway, anyone who can guess why Jumpman is Mario's last name gets a cookie. Also, doll description time-**

**Mario: The famous hero and plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom. His signature Jump attack can dispel foes in just several strikes. He often goes on adventures with his brother, Luigi, who is often mistaken as -and much to his displeasure- "Green Mario" or "Taller Green Mario". Mario's key rival and enemy, Bowser, kidnaps Princess Peach (a.k.a. Toadstool) so he can be united in marriage with her and or to seize the Mushroom Kingdom for himself, but Mario saves the day every time despite the odds.**


	3. A Plumber's Delight, Dream, and Dread(2)

The duo walked through the middle of Toad Town, caught off guard by the lifelessness of the city. The void created by the emptiness and muteness of the town was unusual, overwhelming in fact. It did little to ease their suspicions when little whispers seemed to drift out from the mushroom-capped houses.

A cry erupted from a nearby building, eliciting a yelp from Luigi and a shiver from Mario. The two ran over to peek into a window of the abode, and what they found on the inside was, in a word, nightmare inducing.

A toad shifted rapidly in his bed, tossing this way and that. His eyebrows were in a slanted position as if he were glaring at someone or something. The Mushroom Kingdom citizen suddenly grasped on to his mushroom-like cap, fingers pressing in to the blood red spots and ripping slightly at the white body. A dark mist began to envelop around his head, as if threatening to strangle him should he move any more.

He did.

The young man was seized by the black powder-like substance, condensing around his head and then sweeping over the rest of his body like the clouds had done to the sun just earlier that morning. The brothers gasped as the pseudo cocoon finished wrapping itself around the short denizen, hardening once it had completely covered his body. The boy lay still, but the rock he was trapped in began to vibrate violently.

As if it were one of Bowser's airships, the cocoon ascended swiftly through the ceiling of the house, creating a small hole in the house's mushroom top roof. Before the Mario brothers could blink, the obsidian cage zoomed off in the direction of Princess Peach's castle, nearly moving out of their sight before Mario said, "Luigi, after that… thing!"

Then they were on the move, running at top speed, in hot pursuit of the cocoon and closing in on their meeting with Peach. Frighteningly enough, more of these objects sped through the air, as if they were all of one mind, one that wanted to congregate at Peach's castle for whatever reason. Mario's eyes narrowed. He didn't know what these things were, but if they were threatening the Mushroom people and their leader, he was going to put an end to them. _Permanently. _

…

Arriving about a hundred meter in front of the colossal white and pink castle, the Mario Brothers came to a stop upon seeing the spectacle taking place in the airspace above and around the very permeable but surprisingly durable fortress. More of the blackish-purplish cocoons floated around the castle, some of them within or near a black vortex located approximately a dozen yards or so above the castle, casting an ominous light (or shadow, in this case) on the building below. It seemed to harbor the threat of "yield to me or be swallowed whole", and the culmination of encased mushroom people and the clouds themselves appeared fully capable of doing so.

Some of the shards pounded into the sides of the castle, creating small but presently insignificant cracks in the walls of the great fortress. Others floated in place while groups of the mysterious rocks swirled around the castle at differing speeds, causing vertigo in Luigi who sat down briefly to calm down his senses.

Walking down the light dirt path, the older Jumpman motioned to his sibling to come along with him, but he paused abruptly when he came directly before the door.

Curses! He hadn't thought of the appropriate way to address the door. What if the princess was unaware of the problem at hand? But how could she be? It was literally right above her own home! Would knocking work? What if she was in a meeting? But he was supposed to be at the supposed meeting in question. Should be just walk in without giving away his presence at first? Wouldn't that be rude, though? As Mario pondered over such trivial matters and what if scenarios, Luigi cautiously scooted towards the door. Knowing his luck, he was bound to trip over himself and slam the door open.

Unfortunately for the taller and lankier brother, he was correct in assuming he would do this and slipped seemingly over nothing but himself and the air surrounding his feet, body-checking the great doors open. Mario jumped at least six feet into the air, Luigi's pratfall having broken him out of his chain of thoughts and speculations.

"Luigi!" he scolded. The reprimanded brother hopped up and brushed himself off, a shy smile gracing his face. Mario just slapped his own forehead, entering the castle with Luigi following suit.

Eyes widening, Mario took the enormity of the foyer in before noticing the guard toads that regularly occupied the front entrance were nowhere in sight. He could only assume they had joined the commoners in the sky above the castle, trapped in a mysterious black casing with no foreseeable escape. Stroking his chin, he walked down the red carpet in the direction of the throne room. A few minutes later, the duo pushed open the doors to the crown princess's personalized room, the various portraits, doors, and windows in the hallways containing the image of the blonde woman seeming to have gazed at them as they passed by them. Luigi stepped in first, only to be greeted by a yelp-worthy site.

Peach stood inside in her familiar pink gown, the sign of royalty, her red and blue gem encrusted crown atop her head. What was not so familiar (but would be given the next few Mario games) was the rope tied around her torso and white gag wrapped around her mouth.

"Peach!" Mario exclaimed before rushing to the bound princess. Noticing a shadow growing bigger in front of the captive maiden, Luigi yelled, "Mario, incoming!"

Mario looked up in time to see a large, bulky figure descending towards him, back flipping at the last second to avoid becoming a plumber pancake. The heavy creature rose on to his two feet, grinning malevolently at the brothers.

"Bowser," Mario cursed under his breath. Facing them was what seemed to be a giant turtle. However, his underbelly was a yellow-manila color, the skin covering his forehead a light green color on which red, flame-shaped hair and eyebrows rested upon. Wrapped around his tree trunk thick wrist were black bands, metal spikes shooting out of them to possibly match the ones on his hard, green shell.

Bowser gave off a fiery laugh, bellowing, "Nice to see ya, chumps. This time, however, there's no way, even by the powers of your mushrooms and fire flowers that you can win! I brought a little friend along for the venture this time around."

Mario looked around before spotting a circle darkening below a shivering Luigi. Shoving away the initial thought that his brother had urinated on himself and it had somehow spilt on to the floor, Mario shouldered Luigi from on top of the spot, not a moment too soon as well. A dark spire shot out of the darkened space, cutting through the air with an acute _SHINK!_ Exiting the hole first was a set of grey, bony hands, followed by similarly shaded arms. The rest of the figure levitated out of the portal, letting loose a deep and sinister chuckle.

The being had no feet, simply hovering above the floor wrapped in a purplish-black star-branded cloak, the inside of it emitting slight whirring and whooshing sounds as if it contained a violent wind storm. Silver shoulder pads stuck out from his wide breadth, its eyes concealed by black shades and yellow horns sticking out from his helmet, his long face adorned with a I-will-eat-you-alive-and-barf-out-your-soul smile. The room's inhabitants stayed still for a while, a painstaking eternity broken when the foreigner spoke to identify himself.

"You may want to know who I am, but you always have. I am the darkness creeping in the back of your mind when you awake from a painful dream, the light-smothering entity that soaks your in fear and doubt, the epitome of all that plagues you in your sleep, I AM NIGH-" _WHACK!_ came the sound of Mario's fist colliding with the mysterious man's face. Both recoiled slightly, Mario clutching his hand, shaking dark specks off of his white glove while the unnamed being rubbed his left cheek.

"Well that was just rude…" he muttered, continuing to stroke his rub.

"Bowser, what is that…thing!?" Mario demanded.

"Oh, Nightmare? Let's just say he's a friend from out of town. Like, _way_ out of town. Another planet, even," Bowser delivered. "Now's the time to shut your trap, though, or I'll be forced to do it for you! Not like I was going to give you much of a choice anyway."

"Look Bowser, I know we've had our differences," Mario said, his mind flashing back to all the times he had dumped Bowser into a pit, often filled with lava, just for a quick kiss or cake, "but this _thing_ you're working with is too…_ evil_, even for the likes of you."

"Thanks for talking to me like I'm not here," Nightmare commented.

Ignoring him, Bowser roared, "Well too bad, Mario! Let's see how you survive this fight!" Mario winced, not liking their odds. He already had Bowser to deal with, and now he had to combat whatever Nightmare was. The koopa on his own would have been easy enough to decommission, especially with Luigi here with him, but Nightmare was a living enigma and Bowser could prove to be no pushover when he wanted to.

Motioning to Luigi, he ordered, "We'll flank Bowser. He has trouble dealing with multiple enemies. Stay away from Nightmare, and watch your step." Luigi nodded in understanding, the brothers taking off almost immediately at the turtle-like creature. Bowser swung his hammer-like arms at the two, narrowly missing the duo that managed to perform a sweep kick under Bowser's legs, knocking him off balance and on to his belly.

Shaking off the blow, he grabbed an oncoming Luigi and threw him at Mario, who caught his brother it time to see Bowser recede into his shell and barrel towards them at breakneck speeds. The Mario Brothers dove out of they way, the giant, living projectile sweeping past them. Taking advantage of Bowser's momentary dizziness, Mario swept his legs under Bowser once again, knocking him on to the floor once more. Luigi, proving to be no slouch either, jumped on to Bowser's vulnerable and exposed stomach, knocking the breath out of the giant turtle. Mario then grabbed Bowser by the tail, swinging him around like the koopa was a pillow instead of a heavy tortoise before releasing him from his grip, the turtle sailing through the air, smashing in to the back wall, shattering a glass pane filled with a picture Princess Peach, falling to the floor in defeat.

"And now for you," Mario growled, turning to Nightmare. "Why are you here? Are you working for Bowser? What do you want with the princess?" Nightmare chuckled. "All of these questions and more will be answered next time on-"

"That's enough!" Mario intruded. He ran at Nightmare at a careful gait, not wanting to experience an early death.

…

Master Hand gazed at the battle, intrigued by the strength and determination of the plumber. Perhaps this Mario Jumpman should be his herald? So it would be. Master Hand reached out towards Nightmare, the dimensional space inside his cape suddenly warping to open up to Master Hand's current residence.

…

Nightmare suddenly clutched at his abdomen, or what would be his abdomen if he had one. So that fool wanted to play that game, huh? Well, if he was that intent on having Mario, he would have a better chance at killing the plumber than Nightmare would. Opening his cape, Nightmare revealed a swirling tornado of power, the vacuum sucking Mario off of his feet and towards the embodiment of bad dreams.

Mario tried to swim away from the vortex in midair, but failed. The cold cape and winds closed in around him, striking his heart and mind with dread and terror before finally losing what seemed to be his consciousness. Luigi looked on in terror, snapping to his senses when he heard Peach's muffled screams. Hitching her up on his shoulder, the younger brother rushed out of the building, feeling the weight of Nightmare's gaze and unworldly laugh striking his back.

**Well that took forever to upload. Sorry I haven't uploaded in what seems like forever, but I got kinda busy with school during the week. This chapter was originally only around 700-800 words long, so making an extremely long chapter was a bit out of my comfort zone. I can only hope I didn't bore anyone bothering to read this story by making this chapter so long in comparison to the first two. So why do you think Nightmare was with Bowser? Was he on a business trip to the Mushroom Kingdom? A vacation? Conquest? And what are up with those toads? I can only hope they're okay...**

**Anyway, now on to the doll description-**

**Luigi: Mario's younger brother, who is often seen assisting him on his battles against Bowser. Often made out to be a scaredy cat, Luigi does prove people wrong when he himself defeats Bowser, often in Mario's place if he can't get to Bowser in time or is side tracked. Unfortunately, Luigi receives nowhere near the amount of recognition and fame Mario does and rarely gets a kiss from the Princess upon rescuing her. Mario, however, does know how to make his brother feel proud of himself and is aware of the hero inside of the green tornado.**


	4. Road Rage

**I can't believe I forgot to put these in the previous chapters, but-**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters except the original ones created for the purpose of this story. All locations and the characters of Mario, Luigi, Nightmare, Captain Falcon, Master Hand, etc. are owned by Nintendo and their respective companies. **

As Mario descended through the darkness towards the ancient being, two cars flew down a highway at blinding speeds, one a fat, black and white bat and the other a sleek, blue devil. The devil chased the bat as the leading car carved the path of a serpent down the road.

Suddenly, its pursuer sped up, ramming the bat from behind and sending it flying off the road and into an office building. Numerous people ducked as the black and white car flew through the air, others opening adjacent windows to the one which had just imploded. The driver flipped open the obsidian door and promptly fell six feet to the ground below, groaning as his shoulder snapped and his vision swam to stay above the line of unconsciousness. He began to crawl away from the azure demon when its single entry way opened, his predator jumping from its mouth to land directly in front of him.

As the thug coughed from the small puff of dust that escaped his persecutor's landing, he took in the man who had dominated him. Outfitted with golden, shock-absorbent boots, he wore a bluish-purple skintight jumpsuit, bulging at the seams with his magnificent muscles. His eyes concealed by a black visor attached to a red, falcon crested crash helmet, golden scarf blowing in the wind, his yellow gloves snapped down to relieve his photon pistol from its leather prison.

"If I were you, I would stop moving so I wouldn't have to feel a hot, precise laser through both my legs," the muscular man said, "but please continue to move." The villain grunted before falling in to the dark depths of unconsciousness. Smirking, the standing man pressed a yellow semi-sphere imbedded in his helmet. "Captain Falcon to the Galactic Space Federation. I have apprehended the criminal known as Ray "Rage" Stingelton. Currently located between Holy Drive and Diablo Street in Terminal City. Subject is out cold but may awaken soon." He paused when he heard sirens in the distance and saw red and blue lights flashing in the distance. "It would appear the local police force are en route to intercept. On my way to pick up my bounty."

Captain Falcon felt a slight tug on his leg, and he looked down to find a small girl pulling at his suit. He pushed his gun back in to its holster and looked down at her, amused. "Sir, is the bad man going away?" she asked, her innocent eyes blinking up at him rapidly.

"I would assume so," he said, a note of relief in his voice. He had been chasing this one bounty for weeks. How Ray managed to slip through his fingers across five cities and three small towns was beyond him, but he had decided he would finish the job no matter what. The reward wasn't even worth much, just a few thousand galactic credits, but once Captain Douglas J. Falcon set his mind to something, he was going to pursue that goal unless it was absolutely impossible. And just about nothing was impossible for Captain Falcon, or as kids called him, "The Falcon".

He turned away from the girl and hopped into his vehicle, setting off for Port Town. As the sun met the land, the Captain found himself in St. Agatha's desert for a second time, his car battling against the intense sandstorms. To his dismay, a message popped up on the windshield. No, no! He didn't need to be distracted _here_ of all places. But soon he caught sight of the message detail. A legendary sword said to be capable of destroying anything–especially that of the evil variety-had just had a heavy bounty of one billion units put on it! Smiling, Falcon flagged the message to review later. His bounty, interestingly enough, was located on a primitive planet this time. He would need to use the Falcon Flyer to get there, but it would be no hassle to simply set it to autopilot.

Arriving home on his chain of islands, he put the blue devil to rest and decided to recharge himself. As dawn approached, Captain Falcon found himself inside his golden steed, the sleek space shuttle ready for anything. Aiming the launch cannon in the rough direction of the target planet, he heard the familiar hum as the giant blaster heated up to give the Falcon Flyer a much needed boost for his long trip. There was a slight ding to signal that the cannon was ready for activation, and he flicked a tiny switch to launch him into the unknowns of this kingdom called "Hyrule".

* * *

**I am so sorry for not posting for over a month. Nearly two, I think! I ust got a bit busy, but with the holidays, I should be able to manage my schedule a bit more effectively so I can release a few more chapters over the week. I hope to bring you a chapter by next weekend, but it may even be sooner! Tonight?! Maybe...**

**Anyway, I like this chapter for introducing Captain Falcon and explaining the presence of his gun which I believe is a pistol from a manual/comic I saw when it was used. I don't like it because it seems like useless filler, but at least I won't have to use a flashback (yet) to explain why something is happening or why someone is capable of reaching someone else. Trying to make logic of the Nintendoverse is hard, and in all honesty I probably shouldn't be trying to do so unless I want to actively contradict myself/break canon, but I shall try.**

**Now, doll description-**

**Captain Falcon: A famous and feared bounty hunter. Captain Falcon owns the Blue Falcon, his racing vehicle that has won him many competitions, and the Falcon Flyer, a sleek space ship that he uses to pursue countless bounties. Outside of his car he can sling his pistol from his holster and put sizzling holes in his enemies in seconds, but chooses the (less) merciful route and deals with them through a flurry of fiery kicks and punches. How he has pyrokinesis, no one knows, but it looks ultra stylish, right? One move to fear is the infamous Falcon Punch. It's said to be able to bend reality...**


	5. A Woman's needs and a Fox's prize

**Disclaimer: Super Smash Bros. and the characters, places, items, etc used in the series are all owned by Nintendo. I have the rights to only a few of the original characters I make for the purpose of the stories written for SSB, such as Ray Rage Stingelton.**

In the deep reaches of space, a ship swayed within the grip of a wandering planet. The vessel's primary color was a deep orange, the windshield a light green color. The vehicle's underbelly was a light yellow color, almost akin to a lemon's hue.

The strangest thing about the ship, however, was that it was shaped distinctly like it was helmet. Inside sat a bounty hunter clad in a metal suit whose color scheme was similar to that of the vessel's. The helmet that sat on their head was a deep red, round in shape and set with a green visor. Below protruded a crimson chest plate attached to a yellow colored, hourglass torso.

The inside of the legs were a manila color, orange running down the outside of them. Perhaps the oddest things situated to the figure were the bulky, basketball shaped shoulder pads.

The pilot worked diligently on the ship's main computer, typing vigorously on the keyboard, inputting various attributes about the frigid world. Low humidity, way below freezing, -41 Fahrenheit to be exact, about seventy percent of the planet was icy wa- BOOM!

The vehicle rocked in its steady orbit around the planet, sending the pilot hurtling from their seated position abruptly. Correcting their self, the iron-clad warrior leaped up to the control panel in time to hear a CLICK and BEEP, indicating an incipient transmission. Deciding to stay on their guard, the mercenary typed in a few commands, making the ship's plasma cannon's come to life and shield to blanket it. Whoever was attacking them was in for a nasty surprise…

…

"Good Corneria, Falco! I told you to hold your fire!" chided a brown-furred fox. He sighed, laying a furry paw across his face. "We were going to talk it out first."

"Sorry Fox. You know I get a little trigger happy when we wander for too long without doing anything," a blue avian said, stretching. "We might as well take out this nobody before they commit anymore atrocities."

The vulpine just rubbed his temples, his white-gray jacket and green shirt rustling with his movements. "No Falco. I'm going to put in a call so we can discuss this like civilized animals."

"But-!"

"No buts, Falco. Remember, we're only here to turn in Samus Aran. This person's only rumored to have commited the crimes that they did. That's the only jurisdiction we have in the matter." Falco grunted.

"Fine, we'll bring the brute in, but I make no promises to keep them in one piece." Fox sighed, but went along with his partner's tough guy act.

"Slippy and Peppy, ready?" he called to his other teammates.

"Roger Fox!" an old gray and white hare responded through the comm-link.

"Prepared for anything, Fox!" a green frog in a red and white hat confirmed.

"Alright, opening the channel to Samus Aran," Fox said, gulping. Hopefully Samus wouldn't shoot them back before he could speak.

**Although this chapter is really short, I did want to establish who was being written about next in short span of time. Told you I could get another one up tonight! Now I can only hope it can be a weekly or biweekly thing...**

**Samus Aran: Another famous bounty hunter who scours the universe in search of worthy jobs and tries to keep the peace. Orphaned at a young age by space pirates, notably one named Ridley, she seeks to end various reigns of terror and pursues vengence with a white hot fury. Usually found in her very iconic Varia Suit which is equipped with the most dangerous toys known to most civilizations, it was given to her by the Chozo who also suffered an unholy fate. Not much for social interactions or friends, she works alone most of the time, taking one job, solving one crime, and then silently moving on to the next one.**


	6. A Woman's needs and a Fox's prize Pt 2

Their head rattled, the mercenary in the helmet-shaped ship took their headgear off, revealing a thin face with light blonde hair tied into a ponytail. The woman wiped some sweat from her brow before putting her helmet back on, concealing her gender once more.

Just as she had done this, a small window opened on her windshield, revealing who she assumed to be her attacker. She had seen many strange things in her days: A giant, purple, homicidal dragon, head leeches, and a giant, over grown, bloated lizard, but this sight definitely fit into a new, more mundane but still odd category of its own. The vulpine before her shifted in his seat and coughed, discomfort stretched across his face.

He cleared his throat and finally engaged Samus. "I'm sorry for the intrusion Samus, but one of my partners here found it necessary to ambush you for the bounty placed on your head." Samus cocked her head to the side, her helmet hiding her raised eyebrows and intrigued face. A bounty? For her? Sure, she had made plenty of foes since her career started, but who would have the guts and tools to set such a scenario in motion. She waited for the vulpine to continue, interested to find out more.

"The bounty was placed specifically on you by a member of the Galactic Federation," he continued. At this, Samus nearly jumped up with shock. If this one member of one her employers' had signaled a need to call her in for a crime, then many other members of the organization probably knew of her bounty as well. She gulped, but still waited for the fox to finish. "We specifically were called to take you in, as we were the team to take down the mighty Andross and our planet is under the peace contract with the federation," the fox continued with a hint of pride in his voice.

"I see…" Samus started, her voice warped to remain genderless. "And you guys are?" She remembered the assault of Andross on a nearby galaxy, but never did read too much in to the story. Something about monkey heads and barrel rolls…?

"My name is Fox," he said simply. Other message windows popped up on her screen, displaying a pheasant, frog, and hare. "And these are Falco, Slippy, and Peppy." He introduced each member by identifying their role in the attack and which animal they were. "Now Samus, if you could just come with us, I'm sure that the Galactic Federation will give you a fair trial-"

"I would like to know what I've been charged with before I'm sent to be imprisoned," Samus interrupted, none too happy about the sentence she would receive next.

"Understood. You have been filed for mass genocide of many alien species by destruction of a planet," he informed her. Samus's mind snapped back to one of her very first missions, specifically the one to stop the Space Pirates that the aforementioned purple space dragon led from exploiting the also aforementioned head leeches. She lowered her head for a bit before responding.

"I am sorry Fox, but I'm under orders from, ironically, the federation to collect information on the system we're currently in to see if any of its life is viable for an alliance to the organization."

"That's how we got the information on your whereabouts, unsurprisingly," Fox said, not deterred. "My guess is that they sent you here for us to intercept or that the accusation came in after your assignment was verified. Either way, we need you to come with us to at least get a trial."

"Yeah, you joker! If we let you escape now, it'll be a little fishy to return with no information on where you went and why we let you leave, not wouldn't it?" the blue bird, Falco, said. "Plus, our reputations will be moot!"

"Falco, please…"

"We need you, not just for ourselves but for the federation to be at ease as well," the old bunny, Peppy, said. "If we return without you, our reputation, along with yours, will be questioned. Well, yours further than ours with your predicament." Slippy absentmindedly flicked the brim of his cap, anxious for the conclusion to this confrontation.

Samus stood in place for what seemed to be a long time, approximately two minutes from what Fox could gather. Then she spoke. "I would like to contact the federation before I'm brought in," she requested.

"I see," Fox said. "We can oblige. Thank you Samus." He began pushing in the contact information for the organization when he heard thrusters roaring and the beep of a call ending. He looked up to see Samus's ship barreling away from his squad.

"After her!" he exclaimed. His team soon began hot pursuit of the bounty, not hesitant at taking shots at their ship. Samus sweated profusely, both with excitement and nervousness. If she was correct, the planet she had been observing was a close neighbor of another she had visited before. Soon, her destination was in sight, albeit her ship had a few scorch marks from the ace pilots' shots. She pressed on, beginning to feel the shake of entering the yellow, star-shaped planet's atmosphere. She looked forward to seeing a potential ally of hers again, even if it meant he might not help.

**Sorry I haven't update in quite a while. I finally have more free time with the holidays, but I still feel pestered. Anyway, merry belated Christmas and congratulations on another year! I'm already on the verge of breaking my resolution. **

**Wanna guess what planet Samus was scoping out? And what planet she's currently heading towards? The latter should be obvious, but the former might not be. It's from a game heavily utilizing a gimmick nor seen in that specific series as complexly now. Also, Fridge power is OP.**

**Fox: An ace star pilot, Fox is a proud but modest young vulpine who wishes to find his supposedly dead father, James McCloud. With the help of the team that James started, Fox is yet another bounty hunter who tries to keep the peace in his star system. Equipped with his blaster, martial arts skills, arwing and its barrel rolls along with his team consisting of Falco, Peppy, and Slippy, his most recent mission involves the capture of Samus Aran. Watch out for those legs and feet, they'll leave a mark!**


	7. An Empty Heart and Home

Mario plummeted through the darkness, unconscious and unaware of his surroundings. Various images rolled through his mind. A green-clad warrior brandishing a shining sword and blue, artistically crafted shield blocked the blow of a man in jumpsuit, who lit his fist on fire before rushing at the elven soldier again. An orange and yellow colored ship blazed through the atmosphere of a docile planet with four smaller ships in pursuit. He witnessed his brother running with Peach and Yoshi, who was spitting up bananas in the main plaza of the mushroom kingdom, Donkey Kong barreling after the trio in a fit of destructive rage.

Suddenly these pictures snapped themselves from his mind, only leaving the continuing mantra of "Mario…" wandering through his skull. The chanting did not cease; instead, it grew into a high crescendo, pounding within his mind as if trying to find a route to freedom.

Mario's hands found his head, bracing themselves against it and rubbing it as if the action would rid his skull of the chant. He gritted his teeth and scrunched his eyebrows, finally snapping awake from his torture when one final "MARIO!" boomed through the landscape of his psyche. His eyes flew open, an agonizing groan escaping his lips as the chant left him. He blinked a few times and wiped the sweat that had congregated on his face, staring off in to the abyss.

The plumber swung his head from side to side before looking up and down. He gulped when he looked at the seemingly infinite and mysterious descent under his boots, keeping a mental note that this was not Wing Mario Over the Rainbow again. Purging the perils from his thoughts, his took notice of something. The darkness around him appeared to be moving. It shifted in various patterns, and diverse mixtures of purples and dark blues could even be seen swirling within the primarily obsidian background. Again, he looked in search of the commanding voice. As the plumber lost hope for salvation and solace, a large object overshadowed him from the rear. Twisting around the best that he could with no footing and low gravity, the adventurer came face to face with a… giant, gloved hand.

Attempting to take a step back, the man realized he had little control over his momentum and velocity. He raised one gloved hand, weak but noticeable flames growing from his fingertips, and stared down the giant entity. The two parties glowered at each other for what seemed to be an eternity until the deity before the mortal spoke, much to his surprise.

"Greetings, humble Mario," the hand boomed. "You may be wondering why I have brought you here." Mario simply nodded in response, dropping his flaming hand somewhat. "I and the universe, well, _universes_ around you are in dire need of someone's help. With my thorough observations of your journeys and triumphs over a common enemy, I believe you can bring together heroes from your dimension for a bit of a…game."

"Really? Why me? Who are these heroes? And what is this game you speak of?" the plumber inquired.

The hand didn't miss a beat, responding with, "The heroes for this game you will find in due time. In fact, after this conversation I plan to send you on your merry way to one your fellow adventurers. You were chosen due to being one of the first individuals to stop your nemesis and for being one of the greatest heroes in your universe."

The hand paused before continuing. "This game I told you of…you and I will find out about it in due time. I'm not even sure what the game will be, but it will be a competition deciding who should really lead you in your next adventure. Now, I shall prepare the trip to your first companion."

"Wait!" Mario cried. "This nemesis you referenced… it wouldn't happen to be Bowser, would it?"

"If that is the name of the turtle-like being you were fighting before I brought you here, then yes."

The plumber's face grew red hot and he clenched his fist again. "You took me away from my brother and the monarch of our kingdom!" Do you have any idea what disastrous events you could have caused with my absence?!" The hand merely shook off the man's accusations with a wave. "I have no time for your anger, Mario. The multiverse is in need of your help, so the price of one kingdom to all of reality is a small cost to pay. Besides, your journey will eventually take you back to your home if you proceed with haste," the hand retorted. "The first individual you'll meet has the ability to take you nearly everywhere if there is no interference and if there is a memory of the place."

With a swipe of his body, the gloved entity ripped open a portal, displaying a house surrounded by lush plant life. Mario could hear a dog barking from within the house and saw a boy with black hair enter the home. "So this is my journey, huh?" he asked no in particular. The giant nodded. "The enemies on this planet are a bit quirky, but the boy should have a firm grasp on how to deal with them. His name, from what I've gathered, is Ness. If you ever need my help, draw this symbol." A circle with a cross hair appeared in front of Mario's face, glowing vivid hues before dissipating. "Now go, and be careful. While you will make many allies, you also have a high chance of garnering new foes as well." With that, the hand flicked the plumber gently towards the portal, the rift closing after he had exited the dark dimension completely.

Master Hand turned away from where the gate had been, pondering the oncoming storm of competition and companionship.

…

A boy with obsidian-colored hair and eyes as dark as coal sat on his bed, staring at the opposite wall. He sighed gently before tucking himself under his covers. Tear stained his face, almost swamping it like the sweat from his adventures did. The young boy looked at a picture of himself and three other individuals longingly, wondering where the time had gone. His hand itched to grab his baseball bat, his head missed the feeling of his red cap, his feet hungered for his shoes and the feeling of grass tickling his legs as he ran from one town to the next.

Closing his eyes, he sought refuge in his sleep. His mind and thoughts became murky in the bog of sleep, but before he could fully succumb to the depths of slumber, the sound of a plane soaring overhead filled his room, followed by the gentle hum of a generator. A yelp of "Mama Mia!" penetrated the air, a crash sounding throughout the whole house- and possibly country side- a second later.

Drawn to the noise, the boy gently lifted himself out of his bed and tiptoed down the hallway and into the kitchen downstairs. "Gotcha!" a voice yelled, leaving the boy with his hands in the air and mouth agape.

A woman with blonde hair wearing a pink nightgown strolled over to the boy, her frying pan out in the open for all to see and fear. "Ness, what are you doing up?" the woman asked the boy, although her relaxed expression and slumped shoulders contrasted the high-pitched accusation she had belted out earlier greatly.

The boy, Ness, just shook his head and responded, "I heard something from outside. I was going to investigate like I did last time. You know, with the meteor and the alien and all…" A new sheepish look took over his face despite the fact that it was just his mom he was explaining this to. Although, considering how he couldn't leave the house without her permission, the embarrassing look might have been appropriate.

Ness's mom sighed and stooped down to her son's level, grasping his shoulders. "Ness, I'm your mother. Your safety is one of my top priorities. Even though I may have sounded calm over the phone and in person when you went off on that crazy adventure, I was scared every step of the way." Ness looked down, his head hanging almost as low as it had when his friends departed and went their own separate ways.

"However…" Ness's head shot up at this single phrase. "My pride and belief that you could achieve the impossible and beat this Giygas guy and his cronies is what kept me calm and so stoic. Your numerous victories, the friends you made, the powers you unlocked, they were absolute wonderful and put me at ease. So long as I could embrace the idea that you were going to leave me one day is what kept me sane for all those hours, days, weeks." She smiled at her son. "However, just because your friends from your little venture are gone doesn't mean you lost all of your allies, in heart and in the present world. Remember that I'll always be there for you, through the smiles and the tears, the triumphs and the losses, and through the thick and thin." Ness's eyes clouded up once again and he embraced his mother, nearly knocking her down.

They both looked towards the door, ready to confront the intruder outside their house. Quietly, they both approached the door from either side, cautious of their possible demise. Ness's mom reached the door first, and counting off on her fingers, she burst through the door swinging her frying pan at the figure who had collected himself outside the door. The figure back flipped away from the duo and slid across the new walk way leading to their home. Ness rushed at him, somehow having collected his signature baseball bat: a bright, hardwood bat with white wrappings signaling where the grip was. He swung once, catching the figure just barely in the side. The mysterious being back flipped again, this time holding his hands up in surrender.

"Hold on, hold on a goomba flicking second!" the figure cried. He turned towards Ness, and as the mother and son duo had more time to adjust to the darkness from the outside, they realized that this interloper wasn't as threatening as they first perceived him to be. A red cap adorned his head, a white circle with a red M inside of it sitting in the center of its brow. He wore blue suspenders caging a red shirt, along with white gloves and brown boots. An chestnut-colored mustache adorned his face and blue eyes, looking very panicked, flicked from one stranger to the next.

"I'm here for you," he said, pointing at the young boy. "Ness, am I right. That's your name, correct?" he asked. Ness's face lit up with surprise, but he nodded slowly. "I need you to come with me.

Ness's mother walked to stand in front of Ness, her frying pan still very visible and threatening. "And why do you need him?" she asked, genuinely curious and annoyed, raising an eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips.

The man licked his lips and cleared his throat. "Because if he doesn't, my home will be destroyed along with the universe."

…

The three sat around the large, pale blue table, mother and son listening to the mustachioed man as he recounted the tale of his encounter with the giant hand and his threat.

"So wait, Mr…?" Ness's mom trailed off, realizing that she had never gotten the stranger's name.

"Mario," he answered. "And you don't need to call me 'Mr. Mario.' Mario's just fine." He took off his cap and scratched his head, allowing her to continue.

"Alright Mario. So what you're saying is that this giant hand will be hosting a large competition in which you and other heroes from the universe will compete in. Do you know anything else about this battle royal?" Mario shook his head. Ness's mom looked at him, then at Ness. "I didn't like sending you into the unknown the first time, and this adventure sounds even more dangerous. You won't be fighting things like demonic cars and mischievous lamp posts this time, Ness. These people will be fully trained, possibly ready to kill you." Ness's head slumped once more, ready for the rejection of a life time. "But you've proven to me that you're a mature young man capable of facing the hardships of the world." A grin graced Ness's face as he awaited the rest of his mother's speech.

"I can't always hold you back. You have to take chances, like I did with letting this Mario character into our house just on the threat of the universe ending, which may not be true." She breathed for a second before going on. "Whatever the world- or rather, universe- throws at you, I know you'll be able to hit it right back where it came from with your mind. And of course, your bat. You can show these people what you're made of and save the universe again." She placed a hand on Ness's shoulder. "It'll be nice to go on another adventure, huh? Just stay safe and make friends, even if those friends smack you in the face with a shield or hit you with a fiery punch, alright?" she requested.

Ness just nodded with a dumb smile on his face, replacing the look of despair from the night before. "Now I want you two to rest up for today and start your journey tomorrow. No need to rush into the unknown just yet." Ness's mom winked at the two males before going upstairs.

…

Ness and Mario stood at the threshold of the young boy's house, a new dawn gracing their faces. Ness's mom and sister stood close behind, observing the new duo and their departure. Ness had on a blue and yellow striped shirt accompanied by light blue shorts and a red pair of shoes matching with the red hat on his head, its brow shifted to the right and blue in color.

"Keep him safe. That's my most important concern, Mario," Ness's mom said.

"I will Ms.… um, sorry I didn't catch your name," Mario said, rocking back and forth on his heels and whistling to dispel the awkwardness.

"You can call me _Mrs_. Itoi. Yes, I am married. That's would explain why Ness is here," she said, smirking. Mario and Ness blushed while Ness's younger sister giggled.

"Are you ready Ness? Can you really take me home?" Mario asked, still unsure of this adventure.

Ness nodded. "Without a doubt. It's a little unnerving, but I think I'm ready to take on a new challenge. I can't just stay at home and mope. Let's take this challenge on at full force, Mr. Mario!" Ness cheered.

Mario sighed and put one gloved-hand to his forehead. "I told your mom the same thing that I'll tell you. You don't need the honorific. It makes me feel kind of old."

Ness smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Mr. Mario." Mario just sighed.

He looked down at the young boy and said, "Let's just-a-go." Ness nodded and stuck out both of his hands. Confused but goaded on by Mrs. Itoi, Mario grasped Ness's hands in his own. A shock went down his spine and his body's temperature dropped abruptly, a cold sweat erupting from his brow. Ness closed his eyes and hummed softly, drawing on Mario's memories.

"It should be a castle with a pinkish-red rooftop, surrounded by lush grassland. However, a dark cloud should be above that castle," Mario hinted. Finding said foreboding castle, Ness concentrated on his and Mario's very beings, feeling the very life of them, coexisting in a rough sort of harmony. He focused on all of the particles inside both of them, their very breaths, and their heartbeats.

A tingling feeling went through Mario's fingertips before invading the rest of his body. It was a strange feeling. It was tingly, a bit electrifying, but it was also an absence of feeling, like his body was floating away steadily and dissipating in the wind like the clouds in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Before the two warped out of existence, he grumbled, "I hate teleportation." Then the new duo was gone, their particles being reconfigured to be in the tainted Mushroom Kingdom.

**I'm so sorry that I took an unnaturally long break from this fic. Too much work in the real world... But I can say that I will try to push out chapters more frequently. Thank you for those who follow this story, and thanks to those who read it. Remember what every fanfic writers says at the end of their chapters: Read and review, and no flames! **

**Nah, just kidding. But there's always something to improve upon. Don't be afraid of suggestions! Also minor trivia question: Where does the last name of Ness, his sister, and his mother come from? It should be an easy question to answer. Just look up the name. It's an Earthbound reference directly to the creator. I know, it's not all that original or creative, but it's the only thing that seemed to fit. See you in the next chapter. That may or may no contain Ness and Mario and their misadventures in the Mushroom Kingdom. Who knows? Maybe we'll see Kirby?**


	8. An Abandoned Kingdom and a Coward

Luigi was running. He wasn't sure what he was running from or what this thing would do to him if it caught him, but he ran nonetheless, Princess Toadstool slumped unconsciously over his shoulder.

Tearing through the main square and on to the dirt road that lead to his and his brother's secluded house, he stopped only fifty feet from the door when he heard a rustling noise from one of the bushes located to the left of the house, or rather to his right at the present moment.

Tiptoeing cautiously around the bush, he breathed a sigh of relief when nothing came bursting out of the overgrowth.

Unfortunately, that sigh would be his downfall as he was nearly flattened by a creature running at breakneck speeds through the foliage. Yelping, he placed the princess down and took the full brunt of the blow, his body twisting with the intruder's.

Slobber drenched his face, the creature drooling uncontrollably. Giving a deft double-footed kick to its belly, he ejected the beast off of his frame and sent it skidding a few feet away. The creature and man rose at the same time, the creature looking around, twitching every few seconds, Luigi taking in the beast more carefully now. He recognized Mario's old saddle almost immediately.

"Yoshi!" he cried, but it was more of a question than an accusation. The dinosaur yipped and ran around in a tight circle, his eyes still flickering in every direction possible. His body was slightly bruised, but the man-sized dinosaur's orange boots, red saddle and spines, and bright green body and white underbelly seemed fine despite these injuries. Yes, T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas seemed okay in spite of all of this.

The man approached the beast, his hands up in mock surrender. His brother's saddle, unfortunately, responded by pulling an egg out of nowhere and flinging it at the green clad hero. "Whoa Yoshi, calm down boy!" Luigi yelped as he ducked under a barrage of green-speckled eggs. He took a hold of Yoshi's hands when he was within a few inches of the dinosaur, steadying their shaking.

"What's wrong boy? You look like you were running from something as well…" Luigi trailed off as he noticed Yoshi's bulging cheeks, probably filled with a food or an enemy, which would soon be food anyway. More slobber escaped Yoshi's mouth and he gave off a low whine.

"Did you eat something too spicy, boy? Is it too spiky or rough? C'mon Yoshi, you're going to have to spit it out. I can't solve the problem if you hold in the food." Obliging with Luigi's plea, Yoshi spat up his uneaten meal.

Bananas. Bananas could mean many things. Maybe Yoshi was aiming to get more potassium in his diet. Maybe another yoshi was requesting these bananas for a snack and Yoshi didn't like carrying them around. Unfortunately, bananas were also the favorite food of a certain enemy, ally, and friend of the Mario Bros.

It was at that moment that a giant ape burst into the clearing, an inconsolable rage in his eyes. Taking notice of the bananas and the individuals close to them, he beat his chest and roared. He then charged directly at the green duo, the taste of vengeance as sweet as the bananas lying on the ground were- or had once been.

…

Mario and Ness warped into existence in the main plaza of the Mushroom Kingdom. Discombobulated for a few seconds, the two took in their surroundings. The friendly houses with holes in their roofs, the fountain that was eerily purple, and the ominous black and purple cloud above their heads, which covered almost the entirety of the kingdom and devoured a lot of the sunlight.

"So this is the place, huh Mr. Mario?" Ness asked. Mario simply nodded. The last time he had been here, he and his brother had fought their nemesis Bowser and some being that called himself "Nightmare." He also remembered falling into Nightmare's cloak and through space-time, a feeling of complete dread having washed over him. He shuddered at the memory, not too keen on suffering the same fate.

"We should probably start looking for… wait, what _are_ we supposed to be looking for?" Mario asked, more to himself than to Ness. Ness stood beside the plumber, wide-eyed at the revelation that his new companion didn't even know what they were supposed to doing.

"The kingdom is in danger, and if we defeat Nightmare we might be able to set things right," the plumber muttered to himself. "But Master Hand's quest…" Mario scratched his chin for a few seconds before something went off in his head. He went over to a grassy area, Ness following.

From over the older male's shoulder, Ness could see him pulling up grass and drawing a rough circle, two lines going through it, perpendicular to each other. Ness raised an eyebrow at this, even more astonished when blue and red flames engulfed the lines of the mysterious symbol.

"Stand back," Mario warned, pulling the young Itoi away from the rising flames. As the flames rose they created a single hoop of fire perpendicular to the ground. In a way it was almost like a mirror with the exception that they could see through the hoop. However, the hoop's filling suddenly darkened and revealed a near empty void of blue, black, and purple hues, possibly growing nebulae.

As suddenly as the fire had appeared and created the "mirror", a shape formed, becoming the more distinct form of a white-gloved hand.

"I see you seek my help already Mario," the hand boomed, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Who's that?" Ness said, goose bumps erupting all over his body.

"That," Mario said with gritted teeth, "is Master Hand. He's the one who sent me on this crazy quest." Mario turned to address the giant. "Master Hand, we're a bit stuck. You only told me to retrieve Ness. I have no clue about the others."

"Ah, but you do," said the hand ominously. "There are three on your planet alone, duking it out right now. They're displaying exactly why I want all of you heroes for my contest."

Mario looked at the hand incredulously, not quite understanding what Master Hand was hinting at. The colossus simply sighed and said, "Your brother, Luigi, disputed ally, Donkey Kong, and your saddle, Yoshi. If you don't hurry, I may only have nine competitors! Or ten if Donkey Kong manages to defeat kill of them."

The hand began to recede into the gloom of his dimension but Mario called him back with a "Wait!".

"Where are they?" he asked, not feeling the need to go on a wild goose chase.

Master Hand contemplated his answer for a bit before saying, "Home is where the heart is. I shall send you where you need to go next after you recruit these three." He then completely regressed into the muggy bog of his dimension, leaving two confused humans to answer the question. And that's when a barrel came crashing on to the ground only seven feet in front of the unlikely duo.

…

Luigi was unsure how Donkey Kong had gotten ahold of barrels in the short span of time he and Yoshi had been fighting the Kong. He could only guess that the great ape had pulled it from the hammer space of his fur.

DK ran after the jade pair, surprisingly quick. Yoshi was doing his best to outpace the ballistic ape, but between his wounds and carrying Luigi on his saddle, he was failing quickly.

Suddenly he felt a brutish hand grab his tail and throw him across the clearing, sending Luigi tumbling on to the dirt path and him into the foliage again. Donkey Kong roared once more and at Luigi, the killing intent intensifying with the confirmation of his victory.

"PK FLASH!" a high-pitched voice yelled from behind Luigi. Glorious waves of multi-colored light rolled over his vision, engulfing him and his adversary. He was unsure if Yoshi had been caught in the blast, but the oncoming waves of nausea and numbness distracted him from further thoughts of his partner. Through the spots flashing in his vision he could see Donkey Kong on his back, bawling and rocking back and forth.

"What the…" the green-clad plumber muttered before a familiar voice called out "LUIGI!"

As he stood up, trying to regain his balance, hands grasped his shoulders, shaking him. Fortunately enough, Luigi was roused from his daze. On the downside, however, a flaming headache engulfed his skull.

Mario's faced filled his vision, and practically on impulse, Luigi returned the favor by nearly crushing his brother's spine in a bear hug, lifting him off of the ground and swinging him around.

"Okay Weegee, that's enough, that's enough!" Mario yelled, but he was practically laughing. Luigi set down his brother and backed away, a blush creeping into his cheeks and his eyes obscured by his now turned down hat brim. Mario flipped up his hat and clapped his brother on the shoulder, appearing ecstatic and happy.

"Luigi, I would like you to meet Ness. He's going to be going on an adventure with the four of us." Mario pointed to the shorter boy behind him, clad in a casual yellow and blue striped shirt, blue shorts, and a red hat turned to the right matching his red backpack and shoes.

Luigi nodded before focusing on the number of people Mario had said would be accompanying them. "Wait, the _four_ of us? Usually there's only two of us, Mario. Unless you have some sort of magic fruit, namely a double cherry, that can multiply us, I don't see how we have four in our group."

Mario stalked over to the bushes Yoshi had fallen in and carried the dinosaur gently to the area Ness and Luigi were in. He then proceeded to walk over to DK and do the same, carrying the still-crying ape on his back.

Setting down the Kong, he said, "That's four. Now let me explain everything…"

**I'm glad I could get this chapter done so quickly. I wanted to focus on the Mario Bros. and their reunion, so I stuck with Mario's perspective this time. However, next time there will be a change in scenery (most likely). **

**Thanks for those still reading after my five to six months of absence. See you in the next chapter.**


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